Kaak el Khamis

In a small bowl, combine the yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of warm water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes or until it becomes frothy.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, ground aniseed, ground fennel seed, nutmeg, mahlab and salt. Mix briefly to distribute the spices evenly.

In a saucepan over low heat, warm 1 ⅔ cups of milk and 1½ cups of sugar until the sugar starts to dissolve.

Stir in the melted butter/or softend until fully combined. Make sure the mixture is warm—not hot—so it doesn’t kill the yeast when added to the dough.

Pour the activated yeast and warm milk mixture into the bowl of flour and spices. Mix using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook — start on low speed until just combined, then increase to high and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable. Cover and leave to rest in a warm spot for 3–4 hours, or a minimum of 2 hours if you're in a hurry.

Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 50-gram portions. Grease your hands with melted butter if needed when handling the dough.

Grease your mould generously with melted butter and sprinkle with nigella seeds.

Press each ball of dough firmly into the mould, then peel it off slowly and carefully to maintain the shape. Arrange the cookies on the tray, cover with a clean tea towel until ready to bake.

Bake in the oven until golden on both sides—this can take around 12–15 minutes depending on your oven.

In a small saucepan, gently warm the milk and sugar over very low heat until the sugar fully dissolves—make sure it stays warm without boiling. The syrup shouldn’t be watery; once the sugar melts, it should have a slightly thicker consistency, as shown in the photo. If it’s too thin, it will just wet the cookies rather than give them that soft bite and glossy finish. 

Note: You can add more sugar if needed to help thicken the syrup—this won’t make your cookies noticeably sweeter. Just be sure to dissolve the sugar fully over very low heat without letting the milk boil.

Once the cookies have completely cooled, briefly dip each one into the warm milk syrup. Allow any excess to drip off, then set them at an angle to continue draining and drying. This step gives the cookies their signature soft texture and beautiful shine.